Posted by Elizabeth on July 19, 2001, at 17:35:15
In reply to Re: Is switching stressful for your nervous system?, posted by SalArmy4me on July 19, 2001, at 1:15:36
> Switching to a newer medication is always a good idea, considering how the newer medications like effexor: require no blood tests, affect more wanted chemicals and less unwanted receptor sites, generally have less side-effects, and have overall better efficacy and compliance ratings among outpatients.
The main down sides are that Effexor could raise blood pressure and is more likely to cause jitteriness than tricyclics are. Amitriptyline is one of the worst offenders among the tricyclics; I'm always surprised when I hear of someone who's taking it.
A healthy person shouldn't require any blood tests to take tricyclics, although it's a good idea to get an echocardiogram confirming that you don't have certain kinds of arrhythmias, and some people might want to get a serum level (although that's not usually done).
-elizabeth
poster:Elizabeth
thread:70659
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010714/msgs/70930.html